Rubio: Immigration reform 'going to be difficult, but it is possible'

Sen. Marco Rubio has said that immigration reform is "difficult but...possible."

The Florida lawmaker made the comments on FOX News Wednesday, the day after President Trump gave an address which mentioned the issue several times.

During his interview, Rubio outlined a three-step approach which involves enforcing current laws, modernizing the criteria for determining who stays, and developing a plan for long-time, non-threatening residents.

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He then added, "I believe if Democrats are willing to accept that direction then we can get something done. And if they continue to fight for the unrealistic, the 'let's give everybody blanket amnesty,' or 'let's give everybody citizenship,' or 'let's do it backwards,' or 'let's be against any effort to enforce the law beyond symbolic things,' then I think we're going to continue to be stuck in the cycle we've been in."

Rubio ended by saying, "...I'm hopeful...It's going to be difficult, but it is possible."

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President Trump, meanwhile, had advocated for a merit-based immigration system which he said "will save countless dollars, raise workers' wages and help struggling families, including immigrant families, enter the middle class."

He also announced the creation of an office called Voice, or Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement, to track crimes committed by undocumented immigrants, reports the New York Times.